Abstract

The overarching aim of this dissertation was to augment emerging areas ofresearch on human dimensions of recreational fisheries throughsocioeconomic studies of Tasmanian game fishers. A secondary objective wasto develop an advanced understanding of Tasmanian game fishers in order toinform the management of the fishery. Largely quantitative socioeconomicdata were collected through two mail questionnaires, a telephone administereddiary survey and a 'supplementary' telephone survey. The study specificallyaddressed four areas of research. First, heterogeneity among fishers wasexplored according to anglers' levels of recreational specialisation bydeveloping an index measuring three specialisation sub-dimensions —behaviour, commitment and skills and knowledge. Three specialisation groupswere identified using cluster analysis and compared using standard statisticaltechniques. Anglers' levels of specialisation were significantly related tomode of fishery access, income, fishing club membership, species preference,conservation orientation, activity-specific and activity-general motivations,attitudes to catching large/trophy fish and attitudes to catching particular typesof fish. Second, socioeconomic characteristics were compared between privateboat and charter boat fishers using standard statistical techniques. Applyingspecialisation results as a 'filter', significant differences between the twogroups were classified as either specialisation-mediated or specialisation-independent.Included in the former were income and fishing clubmembership; the latter consisted of age, frequency of fishing with familybased groups, activity-general motivations, attitudes to catching large fish andmany fish, and attitudes to management. Angling groups also differedaccording to time spent on fishing trips, educational and employment status, catch history and non-game fishing activity; however, no reference tospecialisation was determined. Third, building on the work of Sutton (2001),the effects of personal and situational variables on voluntary fish releasebehaviour were explored using logistic regression analyses. For private andcharter boat fishers, the odds of voluntarily releasing a fish were positivelyrelated to the skills and knowledge dimension of specialisation, the number offish caught on a trip and prior fishing activity during a fishing season. Forprivate boat fishers, significant predictors included avidity, attitudes tocatching fish and tournament participation. Situational variables had a higherpredictive capacity than personal variables. Fourth, an iterative biddingcontingent valuation methodology was employed to determine whetherresource valuation ascribed by private boat fishers was influenced by harvestorientation and/or by sub-dimensions of specialisation. Using multiple linearregression models, fishers' willingness to pay (above what they had alreadyspent) for seasonal fishery access was significantly related to avidity, income,the number of fish caught during the season and fishers' levels of agreementwith promoting catch and release fishing. Finally, various implications of theresults for the management of the fisheries were discussed, and futureresearch needs were identified.